The Australian horror film The Loved Ones has been wowing genre-loving audiences since it debuted at festivals last year. It won the Midnight Madness program award (an audience-voted award) at the Toronto Film Festival in September, and has done quite well at other fests, too.

There’s no US distributor for the film just yet, but The Loved Ones is about to see release in Australia, so I’d like to present this imported trailer.

I’ve tried to read relatively little about Sean Byrne‘s film (he writes and directs) which stars Xavier Samuel, Robin McLeavy, Victoria Thaine, Richard Wilson and Jessica McNamee. But this trailer pretty much sold me — it’s a simple premise, but the acting looks appropriate, the tone is great, and if what I’ve been told about the film holds true, it could be a tasty, harrowing experience.

The screaming probably makes it vaguely not safe for work, but otherwise there’s not much to worry about.

Teenager Brent is given over to depression and fits of self-mutilation after being behind the wheel for a car accident that killed his own father. That the accident was not at all Brent’s fault—he swerved to avoid a bloodied and beaten man who stumbled into the path of his car—does not seem to matter. His home, now reduced to just Brent and his mother, is a dry and muted place filled with nothing but guilt and quiet despair. The only bright point in Brent’s life at all is Holly, his beautiful and vibrant girlfriend, the only soul with any chance at pulling Brent out of his self-imposed exile and, of course, his date for the year-end dance. And there’s the problem. You see, Brent has also caught the eye of Lola, the awkward school loner. And while Lola may fade in to the background at school, let’s just say Lola is used to getting what she wants and more than willing to employ any means necessary to get it. And if Brent won’t come willingly, well, there are other ways. There always have been…

FYI, after posting this I saw a few people arguing that the trailer shows way too much. I haven’t had a chance to see the film, so I don’t know if that’s the case, but a few reliable horror fans are saying this gives away more than they’re comfortable with. Take that into consideration before watching.